WEBVTT EVEN CLOTHES.REPORTER: YES, SHANNON, MIKE,CERTAINLY NOT WHERE A PARENTWOULD WANT THIS TO BE FOUND, BUTTHAT'S EXACTLY WHERE POLICEDISCOVERED IT AFTER WHAT STARTEDOUT AS THE REPORT OF A CAR CRASHSHIFTED INTO A SUSPICIOUSTRAFFIC STOP.AND NOW STANDS AS ALLEGATIONS OFCHILD ENDANGERMENT.A 30-YEAR-OLD WOMAN AT THEALLEGHENY COUNTY JAIL TONIGHTAFTER SHE WAS ARRESTED ON CHILDENDANGERMENT AND DRUG POSSESSIONCHARGES.ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINALCOMPLAINT POLICE ARRIVED HERE ATTHE 28 NORTH ON RAMP ON EASTOHIO STREET THURSDAY MORNINGAFTER REPORTS OF A CAR CRASH.THE COMPLAINT SAYS POLICE FOUNDJENNIFER ZANG HOLDING A CHILD INTHE PASSENGER SEAT AND IN THEBACK SAW A CHILD SEAT THATWASN'T THE RIGHT SIZE FOR THEBOY.WHITE RUNNING HER NAME THROUGHTHE SYSTEM, POLICE SAY THEYFOUND A WARRANT OUT FOR HERARREST IN LAWRENCE COUNTY.POLICE SAY SHE WALKED AWAY FROMTHE CRASH SCENE INITIALLYUNDETECTED WHILE THEY WERERUNNING HER NAME.OFFICERS REPORT FINDING HERABOUT A HALF MILE AWAY AT THEINTERSECTION OF TRIPOLI ANDMIDDLE STREETS, WHERE OFFICERSFOUND A CRACK PIPE IN HER RIGHTBREAST UNDER HER BRA.THE COMPLAINT SAYS SHE HAD APURSE WITH HER AND STATEDDEDTHAT THERE WERE TWO PLASTIC BAGCORNERS FILLEDDED WITH FENTANYL.OFFICERS REPORT FINDING THOSEBAGS PARTIALLY OPEN WITH WHITEPOWDER LOOSE, AND TOUCHINGCHILDREN'S ITEMS IN THAT PURSE.THEY FOUND TWO INFANT GARMENTS,A PACIFIER AND OTHER BABY IS TO.A CASEWORKER TAKING THE BOYS --WE DID VISIT ZANG'S HOME ON THENORTH SIDE TO SEE IF SHE OR AFAMILY MEMBER WOULD HAVEANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THISINCIDENT, BUT DID NOT HEAR BACK

A Pittsburgh woman is facing child endangerment and drug possession charges after police searched her purse and found Fentanyl powder inside along with the baby's clothing, pacifier, and toys.

30-year-old Jennifer Zang was arrested July 10 and said she spent 30 days in jail.

Advertisement

Police were responding to a crash at the Route 28 North ramp on East Ohio Street when they said they found Zang holding a baby in the passenger seat.

As police ran Zang's name through the system they said they discovered a warrant for her arrest out of Lawrence County. When they walked back to the car, Zang was nowhere to be found according to police.

She was discovered half a mile away where officers searched her and said they found a crack pipe under her bra. As they searched her purse, they said Zang warned them there were two plastic bag corners filled with Fentanyl.

Police said the Fentanyl in powder form was all over the bottom of her purse, touching items including the baby's clothing, pacifier, and toys.

A caseworker for Children and Youth Services took the baby into their custody.

Zang reached out to Pittsburgh Action News 4 reporter Beau Berman after she was released from jail wanting to tell her side of the story.

“They made it seem like I wrecked a car, ran halfway across Allegheny County with an infant, and a purse of drugs, and that wasn’t the case at all," Zang said.

She explained that there was never any crack pipe at all and that she believed the drugs were planted in her purse by the man who was driving the jitney.

Zang said she was getting a ride from the man (named Kevin Nelson) who was an acquaintance, and they were on their way to a medical appointment for her young daughter.

Zang said her daughter was in a proper car seat, contrary to what police wrote in the criminal complaint.

“I have a scar on my face. I was gushing blood. A black eye. I had a big brush burn on my stomach. My ankle was messed up. I think they could have done their job better and they were more focused on me than they were the driver. Like why are yinz so focused on me? I wasn’t driving the car. I’m injured here," she said.

Zang argued that as a victim in the crash she found it unfair that police focused so much attention on her instead of the man who crashed the vehicle.

“I mean I know that there’s bad people in this world and people do dumb stuff. But I’m not that person, at all," she said.

Zang also questioned the police paperwork, which listed her child as a boy, when it was actually her daughter in the car. She also said that CYS paper referred to the drug as cocaine when the criminal complaint called it fentanyl.

“My paperwork said it was fentanyl and then the paperwork from CYS says it was cocaine. So which one was it?” she said.

Zang said she was addicted to drugs but has been clean for a year and a half after entering a methadone clinic and attending narcotics anonymous meetings each day.

She said the arrest has been a setback to her continued recovery process.

“It’s really hard when you change your life, and like, it all just keeps smacking you in the face," Zang said.